Most importantly for this year, we want teams and our student-athletes to have the option to gather, ride, and be with their friends, coaches and communities, but we must do so in a way to does not put our participants and the broader community at risk. We are fortunate that mountain biking doesn’t have a close-contact or indoor component to it that other youth sport participation requires. However, all NICA programming must still be capable of implementation with additional policies and procedures in place to maintain social distancing and safety at all practices and events.

Thank you for your understanding.

In this Issue

▪ Coaches and student/athletes must be registered in the pitzone prior to practicing.
▪ Buff/Facemask requirement – explained
▪ Scholarship Form
▪ Loaner Bike Form
▪ Probable outlook for Race Season – Announcement on July 15
▪ OTB Skills Certifications for July and August
▪ CPR/NICA Approved WFA Certifications for July and August
▪ Coaches EPIC Adventure Training at Trek

Coaches and student/athletes must be registered in the pitzone prior to practicing

Please go to your coach or student-athlete’s profile prior to your first practice. All coaches and athletes that have a checkmark by their name are practice ready.
Super Simple
NO Check Mark
NO Practice
NO Exceptions

Buff/Facemask requirement – explained

We are requiring all student athletes and coaches to “have available” a face-mask or buff at all practices. What this means, is if a coach determines the need to wear for safety, they will instruct to do so. Please understand the the buff will not need to be worn during their riding.

2020 Scholarship Application Form

Coaches, Team Directors, or parents – please fill out our 2020 Scholarship Application Form if you have a need. A bit different from previous years, folks will need to be signed up in the pitzone, prior to applying, and we will insert a credit in their account for the scholarship $ to be used.

Loaner Bike Application Form

Coaches, Team Directors, or parents – please fill out our Loaner Bike Application Form if you have a need for a bike this season. We will do our very best to supply. Keep in mind, we, and the bike industry are short on bike availability during these times.

Probable outlook for race season

Wisconsin NICA League will make a formal decision/announcement on July 15, regarding our race season.

Preparing for the possibility that mass public events are not permitted this fall, the Wisco and NICA staff are developing options for your coaches to provide engaging smaller-scale experiences for all our student-athletes such as:

Team-level adventure activities
Small-scale team time trial events
GRiT rides

OTB Skills Certifications for July and August

Click here to sign up for any OTB101 or OTB201 Skills Trainings taking place in July and August.

Click NICA’s Coach License Program for any questions on the 3 Levels of coaching.

CPR/NICA Approved WFA Certifications for July and August

We understand that many of your coaches are in need of CPR, Basic FA, and NICA Approved WFA

Extentions:
Anyone with an expiring SOLO certification between March 1 and October 31, 2020 is eligible for a new expiration date of November 1, 2020. Please email Kathy Mock if you or anyone on your team needs to apply for this extention.

For a list of CPR/NICA Approved WFA offerings and to sign up in July, please click here

More to come in August!

Coaches EPIC Adventure Training at Trek

Adventure is not cancelled!
We are taking a team based approach to adventure this season. To assist teams with creating that experience we are offering support in two ways. First the Adventure in a Box: EPIC Ride program and the Coaches Adventure Training at Trek to help prep your teams to be able to execute the Adventure in a Box: EPIC Ride at the team level.

The EPIC Ride is the Experiential Personal Improvement Challenge Ride. We will be providing the framework and instruction to help coaches challenge their student athletes with stretch goals outside of racing. The Adventure in a Box aspect of the EPIC Ride will include suggested routes and activities at 4 venues in Wisconsin that teams can explore at the team level.
The Coaches Adventure Training at Trek will help prepare coaches to plan, set goals, and assist students with meeting their adventure based stretch goals this season and beyond. Consider this season as the building block for league wide adventure activities in future seasons.
See the Session Objectives and times below. Sign up through the link below.

Stay safe. Ride bikes. Be healthy. Have fun!
Brian Heifner
WI Adventure Coordinator

To register, click here

Session Objectives:
-Coaches will learn about the basic of NICA adventure and experiential learning
-Coaches will get a hands on experience of what team-based adventure can look like
-Coaches will be introduced to the Adventure in a Box: EPIC Ride format

Teams are encouraged to send 1-2 coaches max (one male and one female) from your teams to learn about how to plan and lead adventure activities as a team. Due to the limited slots and challenges related to travel with COVID, local teams, please consider signing up for the 9:00 sessions to allow coaches with greater travel times to attend the afternoon sessions.

Choose one of the sessions (all sessions will be the same)
Saturday:
Session 1: 9:00am to 12:00pm
Session 2: 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Sunday
Session 1: 9:00am to 12:00pm
Session 2: 2:00pm to 5:00pm

What to bring:
-Mask/buff for close contact
-Bike/Helmet/Gloves/Glasses
-H20/Snacks!
-Bug Spray and Sunscreen

Mantra for 2020 Season

Keep clear
If you or anyone in your home have any symptoms of Covid or any similar symptoms in the past 14 days, do not come to practice. If you develop symptoms at practice or any time, let your coach know.

Keep away

Practice physical distancing- stay 6 feet away from coaches and teammates. Give plenty of room when passing or allowing others to pass. Plan ahead for stopping areas to maintain distance.

Keep it chill
On the trail, stay within your limits. Have fun but save the gnar for another time. Get rad later.

Keep covered
If they ask, wear a mask.

Keep it to yourself
Be prepared, you will not be able to share equipment– make sure your bike is working properly, bring all the water, tools, pumps, tubes, snacks and anything else you need to be self-sufficient on the trail.

Keep it small
Ride in small groups of no more than 10 including coaches

Keep it quick
If you need to use a public restroom or other public facilities, be quick.

Keep it clean
Wash your hands, use hand sanitizer often, avoid touching your face, keep your bike and other equipment clean and sanitized.